Grading-machine



PATBNTED JAN. 5, 1904.

B. A. KARR. GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED rma. 24. 1903.

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No. 748,616. PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904.

A. KARE.

\ GRADING MACHINE.

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No. 748,616. PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904.

' B. A. KARRJ GRADING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 2 4, 1903.

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' UNITE STATES I Patented January 5, 1904.

PAT NT OFFIC BURTON A. KARE, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES F. MAUER, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

GRADING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,616, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed February 24, 1903. $erial No. 144,746. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, BURTON A. KARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Blufis, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

My invention relates to grading-machines; and it is the object thereof to provide a machine of this class in which the cutting, loosening, and displacement of earth and the loading thereof may be practically continuous, thereby giving a maximum of capacity with a minimum of power expenditure.

My invention consists in providing novel means for the cutting, loosening, and displacement of earth, the same comprising two or more plows driven by an endless chain, so that one or more of said plows is constantly in cutting position, the said plows and chain being carried by a vertically-movable framework, whereby the plows may be gradually lowered as the earth is cut away thereby and new material constantly brought in reach thereof.

My invention further consists in providing simple driving and operating means for actuating and controlling the movement of the plows and for conveying and loading the material displaced by the plows.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodyingmy invention, the same being shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of one of the plows and a portion of the guiding-track therefor, and Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section through the vertically-movable plow-carrying frame.

In the construction shown an open platform 1 is provided with a suitable runninggear, comprising the rear wheels-2 and front wheels 3, which are provided with steeringknuckles 4 of ordinary construction. On the platform 1 is placed suitable power-generating mechanism, such as the steam-boiler 5 and engine 6.

From the engine-shaft a belt or chain 7 is run to the rear axle8, whereby I the machine may be propelled when moving from place to place. platform are secured the two vertical guideways 9, which are preferably made from the standard-shaped beams known as channelirons. The said guideways 9 may be braced to the platform and to each other by suitable connecting-pieces 10 and 11, as shown.

In front of the vertical guideways 9 a horizontal frame 12 is supported by cables 13, passing over sheaves 14 at the top of the guideways, thence downward and around sheaves 18 on the shaft 15, journaled in standards 16 on the platform. On the rear side of the frame 12 are the guide-shoes 17, engaging with the outward flange of the channeled guideways 9, whereby the frame is held close to the guideways and permitted to move freely in a vertical direction. At each end of the horizontal frame 12 are journaled the shafts 19, having on the outer ends thereof the-sprockets 20. Over the said sprockets is passed an endless chain 21.

From the center of the plow-beams 22 the shanks'23 extend to the plows 24:. Near the center of the shanks the same are oflset and joined to the chain 21 at opposite points thereon, as shown. At the ends of the plow-beam 22 are rollers 25 and 26, extending inwardly and engaging with the tracks 27 and 28 made, preferably, from the standard-shaped beams known as angle-irons. The tracks 2'7 and 28 are held slightly away from the frame 12 by small blocks 29. On the inner track 28 a strip 30 is secured, as shown in Fig. 5, with which the flange on the roller 25 engages, preventing this, the rear, end of the plowbeam from being pulled outward. The flange on the roller 26 extends back of the tracks, as shown, thereby preventing the forward end of the plow-beam from being pulled outward. Near the ends of the tracks 27 the outer flange thereof 'is curved around, as at 31,-

At the front end of the i driving-shaft 35, which is journaled in bearings 36 on the platform 1. From apnlley 37 on shaft 35 a belt 38 runs to a pulley 39 on shaft 40, journaled in bearings 41 on the platform 1. On the shaft two bevel-gears 42 are slidably secured by feathers, and each has a lever 43, engaging therewith, by which the same may be moved in either direction along the shaft. The said bevel-gears 42 are each adapted to mesh with the gear 44 on shaft 45, said shaft beinga continuation of a worm meshing with a worm-gear in the casing 46 and secured to the shaft 15. By moving one of the levers 43 and throwing one of the gears 42 into engagement with the gear 44 the shaft 15 may be revolved in either direction, thereby winding up or unwinding the cables 13 from the sheaves 18 and raising or lowering the frame 12, carrying the plows.

From a pulley 47 on the shaft 35 a belt 48 runs to a pulley49 on shaft 50, said shaft being held by an arm 51, pivoted on the shaft 35, and an arm 52, pivoted on shaft 53, said shaft 53 being journaled in bearings 54 on the frame 12. From the pulley 55 on shaft 50 a belt 56 runs to a pulley 57 on the shaft 53. A bevel-gear 58 on the shaft 53, meshingwith a bevel-gear 59 on shaft 19, enables the latter to be driven through the power-train just described. The swinging of the arms 51 and 52 upon the shafts 35 and 53 enables the driving of the shaft 19 and the sprockets, chain, and plows connected therewith when the frame 12 is at any point upon the vertical guideways 9.

Below the front end of the platform 1 a horizontal conveyer 60 is supported, as by brackets 61. The said conveyer is driven as follows: From a pulley 62 on the main driveshaft 35 a belt 63 extends to a pulley 64 on the countershaft 65. On the counter-shaft 65 is a bevel-gear 66, meshing with a bevelgear 67 on the end shaft 68 of the conveyer, whereby the latter may be driven.

A conveyer 69 extends upwardly and rearwardly from below the end of the conveyer 60. The said conveyer 69 is adjustably held by the yokes 70, to which are secured the cables 71, passing over sheaves 72 on the booms 73, thence around shafts 74, on which are hand-wheels 75, by which the cables may be wound around the shafts 74 to raise or lower the ends of the conveyer. The said conveyer is driven from the end shaft 76 thereof by a belt 77, passing around the pulley 78 on shaft 35 and the pulley 79 on shaft 76.

Suitable clutches may be placed on the driving-shafts for throwing the various mechanisms in and out of operative connection, so that any or all of the same may be driven or not, as desired, and without stopping the movement of the engine.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The front end of the machine is run up to the point at which it is desired to begin the removal of earth, and the position of the frame 12 is adjusted on the vertical guideways 9 so that the plows when on the lower side of the beam touch the earth. The plowdriving mechanism is then thrown into operation, the plows guided by the tracks 27 and 28 moving continuously and one or the other thereof being constantly in cutting position. As the earth is cut and loosened by the plows it is thrown onto the horizontal conveyer 60 and carried thereby to the elevating or loading conveyer 69. As the earth is cut away by the plows the frame 12 is successively lowered by the means hereinbefore described, so that as each plow comes into operative position fresh material is within reach thereof. The amount of lowering of the frame 12 may be regulated to suit the conditions as to hardness, &c., of the material in which the machine is working. The height of the conveyer 60 above the ground is proportionately less than is shown in the drawings, so that when the plows are making the lower cuts the material being slightly elevated thereby is still thrown onto the said conveyer. On reaching the bottom of a cut the frame 12 is raised to a suitable height, the entire machine moved forward, and the operation repeated as before.

Where wagons are loaded from the conveyer 69, the plows may be run continuously and the conveyers stopped during the time consumed in moving a loaded wagon away from the conveyer and bringing an unloaded wagon into position. It will be noted .that on account of the progressive movement of the plows one of the same may move across the entire out while the con veyers are stationary without unduly loading the horizontal conveyer 60, the material being uniformly distributed along the entire length of the conveyer. 7

It will be obvious that many of the minor details of the construction shown might be altered without departing from the spirit of my invention and that, particularly with reference to the driving mechanism, I have simply shown one convenient manner in which the same may be accomplished.

Now having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a grading-machine, plows continuously movable in a substantially horizontal direction, means for actuating said plows, means for supporting same, means for moving same in a vertical direction, and means for removing material displaced by movement of the plows.

2. In a grading-machine,horizontally-movable plows, endless actuating means therefor, a frame supporting the same, means for moving the frame in a vertical direction, and means for removing material displaced by the plows.

3. In a grading-machine,horizontally-movable plows, endless actuating means therefor, a frame supporting the same, tracks on said frame for guiding the plows, means for movcarried by said shanks, and endless actuat-,

ing means connected to said shanks, whereby the plow-beams may be continuously moved along said tracks,

6. In a grading-machine, a platform, vertical guideways secured thereto, a frame engaging said guideways, means for raising and lowering said frame on said guideways, horizontally-movable plows carried by said frame, tracks on said frame for guiding said plows,

an endless chain connected with said plows,

and means for actuating said chain whereby the plows may be moved along said tracks.

7. In a grading-machine, a platform, vertical guideways secured thereto, a frame ongaging said guideways and slidable thereon, horizontally-movable plows carried by said frame, an endless chain for actuating said plows, a main driving shaft on said platform, and flexible connecting means from said driving-shaft to said chain whereby the latter may be actuated.

8. In agrading-machine, horizontally-movable plows, guiding means therefor, actuating means therefor, means for raising and lowering said plows, ahorizontal conveyer arranged below said plows and adapted to catch material displaced thereby, and an elevating conveyer adapted to receive material from the horizontal conveyer and elevate the same. 7

9. In a grading-machine, a platform, verconnected to said frame, other sheaves contical guideways carried by said platform, a 5 frame engaging said vertical guideways and slidable thereon, horizontally-movable plows carried by said frame, sheaves on said guideways, cables passing over said sheaves and nected with said cables and around which the cables may be wound, a shaft carrying the latter sheaves, a worm-gear on said shaft, a worm engaging said gear, and means for revolving said worm in either direction, whereby the worm-gear and shaft may be revolved and the frame raised or lowered upon the vertical guideways.

10. In a gradingmachine, continuouslymovable plows, endless actuating means therefor, means for raising and lowering the plows, and a conveyer disposed substantially parallel with the horizontal movement of the plows and adapted to receive material therefrom.

11. In a grading-machine, plows movable in a substantially horizontal direction, endless actuating means therefor, a conveyor disposed substantially parallel with the movement of the plows and adapted to receive material displaced thereby, and a second conveyer adapted to receive and remove material from the former conveyer.

12. In a grading-machine, plows movable in a substantially horizontal direction, actuating means therefor, a conveyer disposed substantially parallel with the movement of said plows and adapted to receive material therefrom, a second conveyer adapted to receive material discharged by the first conveyer, and means for adjusting the position of the latter conveyer.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BURTON A. KARE.

Witnesses:

D. O. BARNELL, HOWARD J. GowGILL. 

